Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2006

The government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves continued throughout 2006 to be one of Taiwan’s strongest Caribbean supporters. This was rewarded in June with a $15 million grant and a $10 million soft loan for the construction of a long-desired international airport in Saint Vincent. Another $10 million was likely to be made available by Taiwan for the Youth Empowerment Service program.

The IMF had complimentary words for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in August, following its annual review of the economy. The report described the near-term outlook as “broadly favorable” and predicted economic growth of more than 4% in 2006.

In an address to the UN General Assembly in September, Gonsalves berated European nations “and their North American cousins” for failing to “acknowledge their roles” in the slave trade. He also noted the lack of any offer of “reparations to the affected nations.” Gonsalves rejected the U.K. government’s “statement of regret” for the Atlantic slave trade because he felt that it fell short of a “full apology.”

High Court Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle in September expressed concern over reports of the resurgence of police brutality, describing it as “this disgusting phenomenon.”